The Princess
by queenlomarie
Summary: Not everyone believes in fate, or destiny. But for some, everything happens for a reason, even if you can't understand it. In this case, our heroine is far from understanding anything. Yet she's determined to remain strong, and that's what makes her different. A princess without fear and full of determination is more than one kingdom can handle.
1. Princess Elect

**Hello, this is my first story for Midnight Cinderella. I know the game came out in 2016 (I think), but I only recently downloaded it and began playing it religiously. I decided to make a story out of it because I just haven't been all that satisfied with the way things are going in-game, and I need more drama/suspense. There are going to be some instances in this story where you might recognize it from the game, but the rest I've made up. I do not own rights to the in-game characters or setting, those belong to Cybird. I only own the OCs I've made up for the story. I have written other fanfics for other groups on this website, so I'm not really new to .**

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The morning sun shone brightly upon the quiet kingdom of Wysteria. In the town square, shops were bustling with customers as the day was about to officially begin. Men and women bartered, sold, and offered goods to one another. Homes smelled of fresh muffins and eggs, and children were lining up for their daily classes. Birds chirped brightly from their trees, singing to one another their love. There were clouds in the sky, but they were only every so often; Wysteria was known for is clear, spring days. There were a few children trying to hide away from school; not many were successful in their endeavor. It was just another beautiful, bright, and sunny day in Wysteria.

The beauty of the moment only lasted for a short time. Dress hiked up, shoes worn out, and hair askew, a young girl zig-zagged her way through the thickening crowd. She flew out apologizes from her mouth as quickly as she could before disappearing behind someone, "Hey, watch out! "she heard people shout at her, but the words jumbled together and she only replied with: "My apologies! "every time, not even listening to what they had to say. She looked up at the clock tower in the square. _Oh no, I'm late!_ She thought, cursing herself. In her right hand was a slip of paper, an invitation.

This young girl was heading to the Wysterian palace, because on this day, they would be choosing the highly sought out position of the Princess Elect.

In Wysteria, they had a different, unconventional way of picking their royalty. While the followed the traditional lineage route, where Kings and Queens had children, and their oldest son would take the throne, sometimes that just didn't happen. Sometimes, Kings and Queens didn't produce heirs. That's what happened in this case. The current King of Wysteria has no children, and never really sought to have any. The solution provided by the government? The Royal Adviser would help in selecting a Princess Elect; a young girl who would hopefully becoming a strong monarch with a selected husband.

This unconventional way was sneered upon by other neighboring kingdoms, but it had been working in Wysteria for generations.

While this girl had been invited to the palace for this reason, she had her own agenda. As she neared the palace, she began to slow down to a fast walk—she didn't want to look like she'd been running, even though she really had from her schoolhouse to the palace, and it was not just a hop, skip, and jump away. Nervously, she fixed the ruffles that had appeared on her sky blue dress. She looked down and noticed that the hem was slightly stained from mud. Cursing at herself, she knew it was too late to try and clean it off. She fixed her light brown hair, trying to flatten it out to make it appear less tousled and odd looking. Finally, she approached the large, iron gates that led to the palace.

However, upon arrival, she realized they were shut and locked.

She grew slightly pale, _oh god, am I really that late?_ She approached the gate and tried to pull it open herself, but to no avail. She pressed her forehead against the smooth metal of the gate and closed her eyes.

The day before, she had been approached by one of her favorite students, who had asked her to find a mythical flower from a storybook. At first, she was going to gently tell the young student that the flower was not real, but after seeing the look on her student's face, so hopeful and pleading, she had given in and had agreed to search for it. However, the student told her that the only place to find it would be at the palace. She had been wary about how she'd be able to get in, but when the invitation came to her later that same day, she knew it was a sign.

Now, though, all hope seemed lost as she stood outside the palace, the gates locked firmly shut. She groaned inwardly.

"Hey, you! What are you doing? "a voice called out.

She heard the question and immediately snapped her head up to turn around. Approaching her was a tall young man, no older than herself. He had brown hair, darker than her own, and almost red-looking eyes. He wore the Wysterian guard armor, and carried a sword at his side. His expression was that of annoyance, but as he neared, she could see the curiosity in his eyes.

"Well? Are you going to answer my question? "the guard asked. The girl straightened her posture to not appear intimidated, even though she very much was, "I'm here for the…election ceremony, "she lied, it was the only thing she could think of. The guard looked her up and down, "Really? "he asked, but it was more of a confused statement.

The girl crossed her arms, "Yes, I am, sir, "she replied, trying to sound polite. The guard chuckled under his breath, "Fine, I'll let you in. "he then gave her an award-winning smile, "But, who are you? "

The girl gave him a smile, feeling more at ease, "My name is Elina, "she told him. The man nodded, "It's a beautiful name, "he said. Elina smiled again, slightly blushing, "Thank you. Might I ask what your name is? "

The guard banged on the gate, and two more approached from the other side to unlock it and open it up, "My name's Captain Alyn Crawford, "he stated proudly, turning to look at her as the gates opened. Elina felt embarrassed now; she had been acting like a fool in front of the Captain of the Wysterian guard.

"Forgive me, I did not know I was this late, "she said, curtsying as best as she could. Alyn nodded, "Well, I can't escort you to the ceremony, but it's just past the garden. Can't really miss it, "he pointed her towards the direction of the garden, which was just around the corner. Elina curtsied again, "Thank you, "

"No problem, "Alyn flashed another heart throbbing grin before escorting her inside. He stopped just as they passed the gates, "Don't be anymore late than you are already, "he said. Elina smiled at him, "I won't, "she promised, but it was another lie.

Elina walked through the palace grounds in search of the garden. She remembered the words her student had told her, "It's a pretty white flower! "she had said, "You'll know it when you see it, Miss Elina! "

The smile that her student had given her brought a smile to her own face as she reached the palace garden, "It has to be here somewhere, "she said, sifting through the array of flowers. There were lilacs and roses, daisies and peonies, but none were like the flower her student had described. She knew that the ceremony was well underway now; there was no point to go and try to sneak in. Besides, she wasn't interested in becoming Queen.

"What are you doing? "

A voice cut through her thought process and she jumped up, startled. She had been leaning over a bush full of flowers when she was interrupted. She turned around quickly to see who had spoken to her.

A tall, elegant looking man stood before her. He practically glowed under the sunlight. He had platinum blonde hair, and the clearest, bluest eyes she'd ever seen. He wore a blue toned coat over a dark purple vest and black pants with a white scarf around his neck, and his hands were covered by black gloves. However, he was not smiling, and his eyes were piercing right through her in annoyance. He was completely different from the first man she'd met.

"I-I'm sorry if I disturbed you, sir, or anyone, "Elina tried to sound as calm as she could, "but I'm merely looking for something. "

"…and it's in the flowers? "he asked, but his cold demeanor never changed. Elina felt awkward under his stare, "Y-yes, "she replied, trying not to stutter. Still, his expression remained cold, "What is it you're looking for? "he took a step forward, but stopped himself from walking any farther.

Suddenly, Elina felt incredibly childish. But, she couldn't tell him that she was there for the ceremony, not now. She inhaled sharply, "I'm here to look for a particular flower…from a book. "

"What kind of book? "he inquired, "A storybook, "she replied.

This time, Elina saw a slight change in his expression; his eyebrow quirked up slightly. However, as soon as she'd blinked, his face had returned to a bleak, icy expression, "You're looking for a flower from a made up story, "he stated slowly, as if he was processing it. Elina nodded, "Yes, for my student, "she went on, trying to explain herself, "she asked me to look for this flower, and I couldn't say no. "

"I see, "the man looked her up and down. She could just feel him judging her, "What is your name, might I ask? "he then said. Elina released a breath she had no idea that she'd been holding, "Elina, "she replied, trying to stand straighter, "Elina Aldaine, "

She saw his eyebrow quirk up again slightly, but then he was back to a stone face, "Interesting, "He said softly, almost as if he didn't want her to hear him. Elina crossed her arms behind her back, "Sir, might I know your name? "she asked.

The question seemed to take him by surprise, as his eyes widened slightly before dimming again, "Why? You don't need to know it, "he stated bluntly, coldly, but then he shrugged, "Very well, if you truly want to know. My name is Duke Louis Howard, "he said it so regally that Elina felt overpowered. However, once she heard it, she immediately dropped into an awkward curtsey, "Oh, my lord, I-I had no idea I—, "

"There's nothing wrong, "he said, waving her off. She stood back up slowly. After an awkward silence, he looked back at her with a stone-cold gaze, "You should leave soon, "he then said abruptly. Elina bit her lip to keep from laughing at him, "But, I haven't found what I came for, your grace, "she replied. Louis sighed, "Fine, continue looking for your flower. But afterwards, leave, as soon as you can, Miss Elina, "he said it almost pleadingly, as if he was trying to beg her to leave without sounding like it at all.

"I will, sir, thank you, "Elina curtsied again, and Louis bowed slightly her way. He turned around and walked off, taking long strides. For a moment, he seemed to hesitate in walking away, but he continued on. Elina finally felt like she could breathe.

She was just about to go back to looking through the flowers when she felt a hand grab her shoulder. Startled, she whirled around to attack, but found instead a young boy. He was taller than she, with bright pink hair and brown eyes. He must've been around her age at least, as he looked younger than Louis. Elina sighed, "I'm sorry, I'm going to be leaving soon, "she began to apologize quickly.

The boy gave her a confused look, "What? "he then asked, "Oh! Yes, I've come to get you, "he said, extending his hand, "Get me? For what? "Elina inquired. She hesitated, but his smile made her feel more at ease, "Well, can you tell me who you are first? "she asked.

The boy laughed in embarrassment, "Oh, of course! You must be curious, my name's Nico, Nico Meier. I work here at the palace, "he explained, "now, if you would please come with me. "

Elina wanted to question more, but he grabbed her hand and began dragging her along, "Where are we going? "she asked. Nico smiled at her brightly, "To see my boss, "he replied simply. A wave of panic washed over Elina. Was she getting in trouble for staying in the garden too long? Elina prayed that wasn't the case as Nico lead her through the palace. They went through winding hallways and twisting stairs before finally stopping in front of a door. Elina had never been more tired in her life.

"A-are we…finally…here? "she asked, panting slightly. Nico nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, just right through here. "he knocked on the door, and it opened.

Elina was now face-to-face with another tall man. This one was much older than Nico as well, with dark purple hair that fell to his shoulders and large brown eyes. He wore a dark suit, almost like a butler. "Ah, thank you, Nico, "he said, his voice thick and soothing. Nico smiled at him and scurried away.

The man opened the door for Elina, "Please, miss, come in, "he said, smiling at her warmly. Elina stood at the door, frozen, "Um…forgive me for asking, but what's going on? "she knew what she was doing was rude, but she needed to have her questions answered, "Is there something going on? Am I getting in trouble for being in the garden, because if I am, sir, I am so sorry—, "Elina was cut off by a swift of his hand.

"No need, for apologizing, miss…, "his voice trailed off.

"Oh! Yes, my name is Elina. Elina Aldaine, "she curtsied, "And whom am I speaking to? "

"I am Giles Christophe, the Royal Adviser to the King, "the man replied, bowing. Elina's eyes grew wide, "Oh! Forgive me, I had no idea that I was talking to the Royal Adviser. I wouldn't have asked so many questions…, "she now trailed off, unsure as what to do.

"Is there a reason I'm here? "she then asked. Giles smiled at her, "I noticed you in the garden, Miss Elina. Your dress is awfully dirty. "

Elina felt her cheeks get red as she looked down at herself. While her hem had been dirty before her arrival, her blue dress was now stained with mud, and she hadn't even noticed. _Is this what Louis was looking at?! Did I really look like this all the way here?!_ She was certain she and Nico had passed a few other people before arriving here, and she mentally slapped herself for her stupidity.

"Oh, yes, I was looking through the flowers, "Elina chuckled nervously, rubbing her arm with her hand. Giles only smiled kindly at her, "Well, we can't have you walking around like that now, can we? "he shot her a playful smirk as he turned around, "I took the liberty of acquiring this dress for you, "he said, turning back to face her with a gorgeous, blue dress. Elina's eyes grew wide, "W-what? Oh, no, sir, I couldn't accept this, "she tried to turn it down gracefully, but Giles only handed it to her.

"No, please, accept it, "he smiled, "It will go beautifully with your eyes, "Elina bushed slightly at the compliment, "Well, thank you, "she said, admiring the dress. She had been complimented on her eyes numerous times; her eyes were almost the color of amethysts.

Giles exited the room giving Elina privacy. She was able to slip of her mud-stained dress and pull on the new one. Giles was right, it did go with her eyes. The color of the dress fit will with her eyes, and the grey accents also went in nicely. Elina was glad the dress was long enough to cover her soiled shoes.

She opened the door to find Giles waiting. He smiled, "Beautiful, "he said. Elina blushed slightly, "Thank you, sir, but I still don't understand why you've given me a nice dress, "she went on. Giles merely extended his hand, and she took it. Be began escorting her back down, and she inwardly groaned at the thought of descending the stairs.

"Well, you have to look presentable once we make the announcement, "Giles began as they descended. Elina turned her head to look at him, "Announcement of what? "she arched a brow, pushing away her bangs with her free hand. Within no time, they were able to make it back down. It seemed a lot shorter to Elina than when she'd gone up the stairs.

"Why, we must announce to the ladies' waiting so patiently, "he said, leading her to a door. "Ladies? "Elina watched Giles open a door, and suddenly she was standing in front of a crowd of women. They were all nobility; they were fine dresses and furs and jewels, all of them had their hair done up and perfectly curled, braided, and twisted into beautiful hairstyles. They fanned themselves with delicate, sleek fans, and none of them sat down.

"Ladies, please, may I introduce you to Miss Elina Aldaine, the chosen Princess Elect, "Elina whipped her head in bewilderment to look at him as there was a collective gasp of disbelief in the room.

"What!? "

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 **And this is the first chapter to my fanfic! I hope I'll be able to continue writing, my life is very hectic and it can be hard for me to write continuously at a time. R &R**

 **xoxo, Queen.**


	2. Ice Sculpture

Elina was ushered out of the room as the other ladies' began gossiping, "They've picked her, a commoner? "she heard one gasp, "I would have never thought that they would do such a thing! "another chimed in. Elina could hear them, and she tried to turn around to say something, but Giles pulled her back, "Pay them no mind, Miss Elina, "Giles instructed softly.

Elina couldn't help but scoff, "Can you not hear them? I'm sorry, sir, but why would you pick someone like me? "

They had entered the large foyer area, and Elina pulled away from Giles's grasp. The whole incident was hard to process, "I just—I can't just leave everything I already have! I'm a teacher, I have students, "Elina felt like reasoning with Giles would be impossible; he looked like his mind was already made up. But, she had to try, "What are they going to say when I don't return home? "

Giles studied her for a minute, as if thinking, "Well, I can send word to your family—and students—about your new position here in the palace, "Elina felt exasperated; there was no changing his mind.

As if he'd been reading her mind, Giles approached her gently, "Miss Elina, I know that this is quite sudden and unexpected…but, Wysteria needs a Princess Elect, "Elina looked at him, "But why me? There were so many eligible ladies in there. Besides, "Elina rolled her eyes, "you heard them, I'm a 'commoner', "she felt her cheeks burn with anger. She'd always hated being with the nobility. They rarely walked through town, but when they did, they turned their noses up and acted like they were more important, and more valuable, that anyone else.

"True, you may be a commoner, "Giles began, "but I can see you have so much more to offer. "he gave her a smile, and Elina felt more at peace, but she was still unsure. She looked at Giles again, and she could see in his eyes that he was basically pleading with her to take on the role.

Finally, Elina gave in, "Alright, sir, I'll try to be your Princess Elect, "she smiled at his reaction; he looked much more at ease, "Thank you, Miss Elina, but please, call me Giles, "he took her hand and kissed the back of it gently. Elina smiled brightly at him, "I will, if you call me Elina, "

Giles stood up straight again and smirked, "Very well, Elina. Please, follow me. We have many things to do in such a short amount of time. "as soon as he'd stopped speaking, Nico came running back up, "Giles! I've cleared the lounge room of the ladies and I've sent them all home, "

"Excellent, Nico, "Giles continued to walk, and Nico and Elina followed behind him, "Wow, so you're really the new Princess Elect? "Nico asked. Elina looked at him, and she could see in his large eyes the excitement that was also laced in his voice. She smiled at him, "Yes, it seems I am, "Elina said. Nico beamed, "Well, that's great! "he replied.

"Nico, I'm assigning you to assist Elina, "Giles told him from over his shoulder, never once breaking his stride. Nico nodded, "Yes sir! "they walked up a flight of stairs, and Giles began speaking to Elina directly as she tried to keep up with him, "Now, you have a lot of things to do, Elina. We have lessons to take, you must familiarize yourself with everything that's in the palace…, "he continued to speak, but Elina was too busy staring at the architecture in the palace.

Everything was elegant and grandiose. Everything was polished from white marble, and there were statues made from pure gold. The ceilings were extremely high and there were large windows everywhere Elina turned. Crystal chandeliers hung from thick chains and glittered in the sunlight, casting their bright reflections on the walls. The floors had red rugs on them that were spotless; Elina almost felt bad for treading on them with dirt-stained shoes, but she was hoping that no one would notice. She had never actually been inside the palace; only the nobility were ever allowed inside.

"Elina? "she heard someone say. Elina snapped back to reality. Giles had stopped, and Elina was about to run into him. She halted, "Yes? "she asked.

Giles and Nico chuckled, "Did you hear anything I just said? "Giles asked. Elina felt her face grow warm, "Um…I have lessons? "she said uncertainly. Giles rolled his eyes slightly, "You are going to be meeting some of the other residents of the palace, now, "Giles corrected her. Elina blushed awkwardly, "Oh, right, of course. Where are they? "

Just as she'd spoken, she could hear footsteps bounding down the hallway. She peered past Giles and saw a young man running towards them. He was tall, just like every other man she'd met so far, but had silver hair. He wore a greyish coat over a red vest and black pants, and she could see a white shirt poking through. As he neared, she caught a glimpse of his eyes; they were almost red, like Alyn's. Elina saw the playful smirk on his lips as he stopped in front of them.

"Well, well, good day Giles, "he said, his voice light and airy. He looked at Elina, "and whom might this be? "he asked. Giles straightened, "This is Elina Aldaine, our Princess Elect. "Elina curtsied, "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir, "she said in the most formal way she could. The young man grinned at her, "Well, you finally picked one, eh Giles? "the man playfully nudged Giles, who looked slightly irritated.

Giles turned back to Elina, "This is Leo Crawford, one of the bureaucrats that works here, "Giles introduced him. Leo bowed deeply and took Elina's hand into his, "And, the pleasure is all mine, "he said, kissing her hand lightly. It sent a chill up Elina's spine, and she blushed slightly. Leo stood back up just as someone approached him from behind, "What's this, Giles? "he asked.

Elina recognized the voice, "Alyn? "she saw Alyn stand a foot away from Leo. Alyn smiled at her, "Oh, it's you again, "Alyn chuckled. Leo looked at him quizzically, "You know her? "he asked.

Alyn shrugged, "I met her outside this morning. She was running late to the ceremony. "Alyn replied simply, "But judging by her change in attire, I'd say you've picked her, Giles, "

"And you've guessed correctly, Alyn, "Giles smirked at Elina's embarrassment, "I assume you know who he is already, Elina? "Giles turned to Elina. Elina nodded, "Yes, I do, "she smiled sweetly at Alyn, who in turn gave her a dashing grin. Giles began guiding Elina forwards, "We still have a few more people to meet, "he informed her. Elina turned back to look and Alyn and Leo, who were still standing in the same place. She waved at them, "I hope I get to see you both soon! "she called out.

They both waved back at her, and Elina looked at both of them harder. _Their eyes…_

Elina's thoughts were interrupted by another abrupt stop. She turned back around, and was in front of another young man. She looked up at him, and she recognized the soft blonde hair, the kind, gentle brown eyes…

"Robert? "Elina whispered, almost in disbelief, "Why if it isn't little Elina, "Robert mused. He bowed before her, "But, I do believe you are now the Princess Elect, correct? "

"What are you doing here? "Elina asked, amazed. Giles exchanged a glance with Nico, "I see you know Robert as well, "Giles stated. Elina nodded, "Yes, Robert used to tutor me a few years ago, even though he's only a few years older than myself. But, you left Wysteria a few years ago…, "Elina arched a brow. Robert chuckled, "I came here. You see, I am the court painter. "Robert smiled at her innocently.

Elina and Robert had known each other, but it was only for a short time. She went under his tutoring when she was fourteen, and remained until she turned sixteen. After that, Robert had left the schoolhouse she was going to, and had never returned. Rumors were that he'd left Wysteria altogether, but here he was, living at the palace as a painter. Elina smiled at him once more.

"Well, I'm glad I've been given the chance to see you again, "Elina said, curtsying. She bid farewell to Robert, and was ushered along once more.

"There is only one other person you really need to know, "Giles then said. Nico now stood at Elina's side, walking alongside her, and sometimes in front of her. The palace was large, and Elina's feet were getting sore.

They walked through a few more magnificent hallways before coming upon two large, oak doors. Giles pulled one open, and they stepped inside quietly. Elina gasped at what she saw.

It was a library, but it was unlike the library that was in the town. This one was humongous, with shelves that reached almost to the ceilings packed to the brim with books on every subject. There were ladders lined here and there for easy access to books. Large windows lined one wall, where you could see out into the town. Elina gaped at the amount of books that were in there.

"What's wrong, Elina? "Nico whispered. Elina chuckled in disbelief, "I've never seen a library so large before, "she whispered back, "It's beautiful. "

"Well, I'm glad you like it, "Giles said, guiding Elina inside. They made it to the center of the library before Elina spotted a familiar flash of blue, and she felt the air become stiff and…icy.

"There you are, "Giles said, approaching the man. He turned around, and Elina felt his eyes gaze upon her. She instantly felt uncomfortable, but she refused to be seen as weak. Instead, she straightened herself up and stared at him dead in the eyes, his icy, blue eyes.

"Elina? "Louis's eyes widened slightly. Elina could tell he was surprised by her being there. Elina curtsied, "Hello again, Louis, "she said as coolly as she could. When she looked back at him, he still had a rather shocked expression on his face. Nico laughed, "Well, it seems Elina's met almost everyone here already! "he teased.

Louis regained his composure and returned her stare with an equally hardened one, "I see you've become our Princess Elect, "he said absently. Elina nodded, "Yes, it appears I have. "she smiled at him, despite not getting one in return. For the first time, the four stood in an awkward silence. Giles was the one to break it, "Well, it's time to head to your chambers, Elina, "he said. Elina looked at him confused, "My…chambers? You mean I already have a room here? "she asked. Nico nodded, "Well, it's more like a guest room, "Giles explained, "but it should suit you nicely for the time being. "

Giles began escorting Elina out of the library. She turned to give one final curtsy to Louis, who bowed curtly in return. Once outside of the library, a question popped into Elina's head, "Giles, aren't I supposed to meet the King? "she asked. Instantly, Giles's face turned somber. Even Nico had a pained expression on his face, and Elina realized that maybe she shouldn't have asked. But, Giles answered, "You see, the King…has not been feeling well as of late…, "

Elina gasped, "That's why you had the ceremony today, "she said, connecting the two together, "you need to find an heir. "Giles chuckled, "You are quite the intellect, your grace, "Elina stiffened at the formal name; she'd never been called by something like that ever, "Please, Giles, just Elina. "

Giles gave a small smile, "Well, yes, Elina, the King needs an heir. I'm sure most of the kingdom is aware that the King produced none of his own, hence the need for a Princess Elect ceremony. They King is just getting older, and sicker. "Giles sighed, "He asked me to perform the ceremony earlier than expected. "

"Oh? "Elina arched a brow. Giles nodded, "We were going to wait and see if his majesty could produce an heir on his own, but now…it's too late. "Giles looked somber again, but instantly smiled. Nico had also resumed smiling. "Are you sure you've picked the right person? "Elina then asked. She turned slightly back to the library, "You all have been very encouraging, except…, "Elina sighed.

Giles patted her shoulder gently, "Louis is just an ice sculpture, Elina, "he assured her, "it will take him a while to get used to all of this. "

Elina fidgeted with her fingers, "Me, too, "she mumbled under her breath.

* * *

After a brief tour of the palace, Elina was escorted to her own room by Nico, while Giles went off to deal with some formal business. Elina hadn't realized how late it'd gotten; the sun was about to set. Once she'd entered her room, she was blown away by the beauty of it.

It was larger than she schoolhouse she taught at, for sure. The walls were a creamy white, and the floors were made of polished marble with carpets strewn around for comfort. The bed was much larger than anything she'd ever seen, and was dressed in white sheets and a soft pink comforter. Large white pillows sat atop it, along with a few pink ones. The bed had a sheer white canopy. There was a crystal chandelier hanging from the center of the ceilings, and several candles were mounted on the wall. There was also a desk, a wardrobe, and another door that most likely led to a bathroom. There were large windows, and a large picture window that led out onto a circular balcony. Elina had a view of the unoccupied land and the forest that lined Wysteria.

"It's beautiful, "she breathed, stepping in. After taking a few more moments to adore her room, the sun disappeared from view. Elina sighed, "What's wrong, Elina? "Nico asked. She turned to look at him and smiled sadly, "It's just…I never got to say goodbye, "Elina said softly. Nico frowned slightly, "Goodbye? To whom? "he asked.

"My students, particularly one, "she fiddled with her hair. Suddenly, and idea popped into her head, "Could you take me to the town? "she asked, whirling around completely to looked at Nico. Nico looked bewildered, "W-wait, w-what? To the town? "Nico's eyes went wide, "Elina, I don't know if I can do that…, "

"Please, "Elina begged. She walked up to Nico and grabbed his hands, "Please, Nico, just this once. I promise I won't leave the palace after dark ever again. Please? "she gave him the most honest look she could. Her pleading worked, as she saw Nico's face soften, "Well, I suppose if it's just once, it wouldn't hurt. "

Elina smiled and hugged him, "Thank you, Nico! Let me change, when could we leave? "she asked, walking away. Nico regained his composure and smiled, "In a few hours, after I know Giles has gone to sleep. "Elina nodded, "Then I will wait for you. "

And Elina did wait, for several hours. She tried to keep herself from falling asleep after she'd changed, but failed. She only awoke when she heard the palace's clock tower chime midnight. The noise startled her, and she sat up groggily. As she did so, Nico came in, "We can go now, but we have to be quick, "he instructed. Elina nodded, grabbing a cloak and pulling it over herself. She followed Nico silently towards the foyer.

"I have a carriage outside waiting, "Nico whispered to her. There were no guards in sight, which struck Elina as odd, "Where are the guards? "she asked. They scurried down the stairs, towards the entrance, "They normally start trading their posts around midnight, but that can take several minutes. It's now or never. If they catch us, we'll have to stay. "

Elina nodded and quickened her pace. Just as they neared the door, Nico released his hold on her arm and ran to open it. Before Elina even got close, she felt a hand grab her arm.

Elina let out a panicked but soft squeal as she swung her arm out wildly to hit whoever had stopped her. She might've been the Princess Elect, but her natural instincts took over in that moment as she swung to protect herself. As she did so, she turned her head slightly, just as the person grabbed her other hand, stopping her from hitting him, "What are you doing? "she heard him say.

"Oh, Louis! "Elina gasped, pulling her arm away. Louis had grabbed her arm to keep her from hitting him, "Do you always attack first and ask questions later? "he asked, arching a brow slightly in annoyance. Elina gulped and pulled her other arm from his grasp, "F-forgive me, you just startled me and I—, "

"Where are you going? "Louis asked, looking behind her. Nico had stopped at the door and was still holding it open, his face drained of color. Elina gulped again, "I-I was just going t-to the town, "she stuttered, "my student…I have to say goodbye to her. "

"Is this the same student who sent you here in the first place? "Louis asked. Elina nodded. Louis sighed, but spoke, "Fine, "he said. Elina let out a breath she'd been holding, but to her surprise, Louis began walking outside, "Where are you going, Louis? "she asked. Louis continued walking, "Well, you can't go alone. One attendant won't cut it. "he replied simply.

Elina looked at Nico, who shrugged, the color having returned to his cheeks. Sighing in frustration, Elina followed Louis to the carriage. He opened the door, and held out a hand, "Please step in, "he said curtly. Elina took his hand and boarded the carriage, and Louis followed her inside.

The ride to the town was quiet, as Louis didn't speak, and neither did Elina. She wanted to, but something told her not to. Maybe it was the fact that Louis was barely looking at her. Finally, they made it to her destination. Elina smiled brightly at the sight of it, and Louis watched her expression, his own never wavering. Nico stopped the carriage, and Elina reached to open the door. Louis grabbed her arm, "Wait, "he said, reaching into his pocket. He produced a picture, which was actually a pressed flower. Elina gasped, "What's this? "she asked.

"Give it to your student, "he instructed, "I know you're disappointed to show up empty handed. "

Elina took the flower from him and studied it. It was almost like the one her student had described, but at the same time it wasn't. She smiled at Louis, ignoring his cold glare, "Thank you, truly, "she said. Louis only nodded.

Elina opened the door and bounded out of the carriage, not waiting for Nico to help her down. Louis watched in amusement as she raced inside the schoolhouse. He heard clattering and clamoring, and then a voice: "Miss Elina! "

It made Louis crack a small smile.

* * *

The ride home was equally awkward. Louis and Elina barely shared any glances at each other, which was fine by Elina. When they entered the palace grounds, she sighed to herself. Elina was glad to be back at the palace, oddly. This time, when they'd stopped, she allowed Louis to get out first, and allowed him to help her down. Quickly, they rushed inside with Nico, with Louis walking calmly behind them. However, once they were inside, they were face to face with Alyn and Giles; both looked like they'd been waiting for the trio to return to the palace. Giles looked more tired that Alyn, but they were both awake enough to give three hard stares.

"Giles! "Elina exclaimed. Giles arched a brow, "And where were you off to? "he asked. Elina was about to speak, totally unsure as to how to answer his question without sounding childish, but Louis spoke first, "Elina wanted to visit a former student, "he explained calmly, "I escorted her there and back. "Giles studied the trio; Nico and Elina looked worried, while Louis was cool and collected. Elina crossed her fingers. Finally, he shrugged softly, "Very well, then. "

Elina felt relieved. She was also surprised that Giles was so...okay with her just leaving the palace. _Maybe it's because Louis went with us. If it was just Nico and I, I'm sure he would've thrown a fit,_ she thought. She turned to Louis to thank him again for taking her, but instead, she found her gaze shifting to Alyn as he approached her, "May I escort you back to your chambers? "he asked. Elina looked at Nico, who nodded to her eagerly, as if encouraging her to accept. Elina looked back at Alyn a nodded, "Yes, you may, "and she took his hand. Alyn smiled at Giles and Louis, who was already walking away. Nico began following Giles as he, too, left the scene.

Alyn and Elina made it to her room in no time. There were some people still in the halls, like maids and a few guards. Once there, Alyn stopped at her door, "Elina, may I ask you something? "he said. Elina nodded, "Of course, "Alyn grinned, "Would you want to take a walk with me tomorrow? In the garden, before Giles finds you for your lessons. I'll try to not keep you too long, Giles would throw a hissy fight otherwise. "Elina giggled, and nodded, "Yes, I'd like that, "she replied, smiling warmly.

There was something kind about Alyn that made her feel like she could trust him. Really, all the nobles there made her feel that way, even Louis. She felt as if they all would protect her, if they needed to. But Alyn's personality was friendly and trusting; he was likely becoming a new close friend to Elina, besides Nico and Giles.

Alyn smiled back, and bowed, while she curtsied. Then, he turned around and walked out of her room, closing the door. Elina turned to look at her room, her new room. There was no one else in there but her, and Elina liked that. However, now that Elina was alone, she had only one problem.

"How in the hell am I supposed to get out of this dress? "

* * *

 **xoxo, Queen**


	3. Prince Consort

Elina had just finished eating her breakfast of warm eggs, toast, ham, and pancakes, with herbal tea to wash it down. She knew she wouldn't be able to eat anymore, and excused herself early.

The night before, Elina had slept on the most comfortable bed she'd ever slept on, and awoke to Nico, who had come in to help prepare her for the day. She'd also met her personal maid, Ilana Quill, who was assigned to help dress her and whatnot. Ilana was a nice, honest girl who was about her age. Ilana was slightly taller than Elina, and had flaming red hair and large green eyes. Elina had never seen anyone with red hair quite like Ilana's; it made her stand out even more.

Now, Elina was preparing to leave the breakfast room when she felt a hand grab her arm, "Elina, "she heard him say. Elina turned to face Alyn, who had approached her. "Yes? "she asked, "Have you forgotten about our morning stroll already? "he teased. Elina mentally slapped herself, "Oh! My apologies, Alyn, I hadn't meant to forget. I had the most wonderful night…, "

Alyn waved her off, "It's fine, Elina. I know you're probably going to be forgetful for a while. It's just gonna take some getting used to, "he gave her a warm smile that made her smile back, "Well, shall we go then? "she asked. Alyn held out his arm and she took it.

The two walked into the garden together. The air was crisp and the sun was bright, just like the day before. Birds chirped in the distance, and a breeze blew in, shaking the flowers gently. Elina's soft pink dress ruffled in the wind, and her hair blew back behind her. They walked to the middle of the garden, where a fountain stood tall and full of water. It was intricate, and made of white stone. Elina sat on a bench that was situation a foot or two away from the fountain as Alyn stood in front of her.

"It's so beautiful outside, "Elina commented, watching as a few butterflies flew by. Alyn chuckled, "It is indeed, Your Highness, "he smiled at her. Elina frowned slightly, "Please, Alyn, just call me Elina, "she insisted. She didn't like using such a formal address, especially from people whom she considered friends.

Alyn nodded, "Very well, Elina, "he reached down and plucked a pink rose from a rosebush. Sniffing it, he smiled, "Where I was raised, we had rosebushes everywhere. Mother grew red, pink, white, and yellow ones, and we always had a fresh batch for her on birthdays, "

Elina smiled as Alyn talked about his memories, "Your mother seems like a wonderful woman, "she noted. Suddenly, she saw Alyn's face change. It was only for an instant, but she saw his eyes darken and his smile vanish as he gripped the rose in his hand tighter. Then, as soon as she blinked, it was over. The same warm smile had spread across his face, and he approached her, handing her the rose.

"Yeah, she was. "he finally finished, turning away. At the use of past tense, Elina realized why he had looked so somber for an instant. She stared at the rose's petals in silence.

Finally, she decided to change the subject, "So, what do you do around here for fun? "she asked. Alyn laughed at her questioned, "Define 'fun' for you, "he replied. He came over and sat down next to her on the bench, "fun for me would be hunting, sparring, or training. "Elina nodded, "Well, I know how to use a sword, too, "she stated absently.

Alyn arched a brow, "Oh really? The new Princess Elect knows how to wield a sword in battle? "Elina could hear the teasing tone he was using. She rolled her eyes, "Well no, not in battle, of course. But if I needed to, I could. "

"That is why I'm here, "Alyn said quickly. He grabbed her hand and held it firmly, "I am here to protect you, Elina. It's my sworn duty as Captain of the Guard to protect the royal family. That includes you, too. "Elina turned to look into his warm, red eyes. She smiled, "Well, I know you'll do a fine job, Alyn, "she whispered, barely audible. Alyn smiled back at her and released her hand, "I hope so, or else it'll be the end of me, "he joked, and Elina laughed out loud with him.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps running towards them. Elina looked up and saw Nico and Leo approaching. Nico looked out of breath, but Leo looked calm. "Is something wrong? "Elina asked. Nico replied, panting, "N-no, Elina…but…Giles is looking…for you…, "he sucked in a gulp of air to regain his composure.

Leo flashed the two a mischievous grin, "Giles is ready to start your lessons, "he finished for Nico. "Ah, "Elina stood, and Alyn stood with her, "he told me about this yesterday, I almost forgot. "

"Well, I'll let Leo and Nico escort you, then, "Alyn said, turning to face Elina, "I had a wonderful time, thank you Alyn, "Elina smiled brightly at him. Alyn smiled back. Elina, however, saw his face turn rigid as he looked at Leo head on. She turned to look, too, and was once again drawn into Leo's eyes. _Their eyes…they're the same…_

"Well, we shouldn't keep Giles waiting any longer, "Leo said, breaking the silence. Nico had caught his breath and was standing straight now, "Yes, come now, Elina, "Nico grabbed her hand and began guiding her away from Alyn. Elina turned to wave at him, and he waved back before turning and walking away in the opposite direction.

Leo and Nico led her through the palace to a study, where Giles was sitting and waiting patiently. He smiled at the three when they walked in, "Well, it's about time, "he said. Elina smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry, Giles. I was in the garden with Alyn, and I lost track of time. "

"It's no problem, it is only your first official day, "he shrugged it off. Nico bowed, smiled at Elina, and left the room. Leo hung back and sat in another chair, "Are you staying, too? "Elina asked him. Leo chuckled, "Well, this is my study, "Leo replied with a smile. Elina turned to Giles, "I thought we would be taking lessons in your study? "Elina gave him a confused look. Giles only smirked, "Well, Leo also has extensive knowledge on Wysterian history and the way our government works. I thought it would be fitting for you to have two teachers instead of one. "

"Oh, I see, "Elina turned to look at Leo and smiled, "Well, two teachers sounds just fine with me, if Leo doesn't mind. "

"Oh, I'd love to be a teacher, "Leo mused, standing, "it gives me the opportunity to show off exactly what I know, "he flashed Elina a playful grin that made her giggle slightly.

Giles coughed and had Elina sit where he'd been sitting, "First, we're going to learn the absolute basics about Wysteria, which I was teach first. Then Leo is going to get into more specific details after we've covered a few of the core basics of Wysterian history, "Giles turned to Leo, "if you'd prefer it, you may leave until I have taught Elina what she needs to know, and I can send someone to retrieve you. "

Leo shook his head, "No, I'd rather stay, "Leo replied, pulling up another chair to sit by Elina, "maybe I'll learn something new today, too, "he flashed her a sarcastic grin and a playful wink that made her cheeks turn bright red. Giles chuckled, "Very well then, now let us begin. "

* * *

It wasn't until around noon that Elina finished her lessons with Giles and Leo. They had begun at nine, and had gone on for those three long hours. However, it wasn't all too bad, as Leo was there to make jokes and lighten the mood. Elina had a lot of information to cram into her mind in only a short period of time. Now, however, she was focused on her lunch. Today, she sat in the small lunchroom. Giles had explained that there was one large dining room for formal events, but there were several smaller rooms for everyday use, such as this one, which was decorated in purple, white, and green tones.

As she ate, Giles approached her, "Good afternoon, Elina, "he said, bowing. Elina smiled at him, taking a sip of her water, "Is something wrong? "she asked. Giles only shrugged, "Well, we have received an invitation from a local duke. He has asked that you attend a party of his in a few days. "

Elina nearly choked on her water, "What?! "she gasped, "A party?! But I've barely just started my lessons! "Giles tried to calm her down, "Yes, I'm very much aware of that. However, it would be best for you to go to this party and make a good impression on the nobility. You are the Princess Elect now, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the nobility as quickly as possible. "Giles thought for a moment, "I'll have Leo focus on teaching you formal etiquette for parties such as this, there are rules to these things. However, you will need to know how to dance…, "

Elina groaned inwardly. Elina could do a lot of things, but dancing was not one of them. Giles thought a moment, "I'll ask Louis to teach you. "

"Louis? "Elina almost choked on what she'd just put into her mouth, "Louis can dance? "Giles chuckled at her response, "Why, yes, Elina, Louis can indeed dance. In fact, he's quite an accomplished dancer. "

Elina would've never guessed it. Who knew someone as serious as Louis could dance. Then again, he was elegant enough. Giles snapped her to attention, "You'll begin your first dancing lesson in a few hours, if I can find Louis. "

Elina groaned out loud this time. Giles chuckled, "I take it you don't like him very much, "he commented. Elina shook her head, "It's not that. Well, I don't know. He's not like Alyn or Leo or Nico, or you. He's so…standoffish. I feel like if I talk to him he'll just shoot me down or ignore me altogether. "

Giles nodded and smiled gently, "Well, Louis is the 'ice sculpture' in the palace. No one has ever really seen that boy smile. However, I hear that he can be rather friendly, when he needs to be. "Elina only groaned again, but nodded, "Okay, I'll take dancing lessons from him. "

Elina finished eating, and returned to her room for another hour. She used that time to read a book that she'd found in Leo's study and had asked to borrow. Elina didn't read books that she wanted to read often. In the schoolhouse, Elina read children stories to the students, but they were often boring and easy to figure out. After the hour was up, Nico came to get her, "Elina, Giles requests you in the ballroom, "he said. Elina nodded, and followed him silently.

The ballroom was much bigger than Elina had been anticipating. The ceiling was so high she could barely see the designs etched into it. The room was circular, and had pillars that went around the circle that reached up to the ceiling. There were large windows that overlooked the countryside. The ballroom was elevated enough for there to be a large balcony to step on to. The doors leading to it were made of glass, to allow for more sunlight to stream in. The floors were made of marble that gleamed in the light. A large crystal chandelier, the largest so far, hung from the ceiling, and was supported by several chains. Smaller ones hung lower and closer to the edges, for more light.

Elina gapped at the ballroom as she entered. She then focused on the two people that were off to the side; Giles and Louis. Louis wore the same blue coat and black pants, only this time he had on a grey vest. His hands were also still covered by black gloves.

Once she'd neared, Louis turned around to look at her. He bowed curtly, never once looking at her directly until he stood back up straight. Elina curtsied in response, "Now that you are here, there are some matters I need to attend to. "Giles said, walking away. Elina wanted to plead with him to stay, but he was already striding out of the doors by the time she'd opened her mouth.

Elina turned back to stare awkwardly at Louis, who was waiting for her. She approached him, "Well, I must tell you, Louis, that I am not a very good dancer at all. "she warned. Louis nodded, "I expected as much, "he said softly. Elina felt slightly offended, but she didn't say anything. She wanted to wait and see if he'd change.

"Now, to begin, we'll start with the waltz, "Louis began. He held out an outstretched hand. Elina became nervous, "Oh, okay, "she nervously took his hand, trying to stop herself from shaking. She wasn't afraid to be in front of Louis, she was afraid of making herself look stupid in front of him. He was the most judgmental of all the other men she'd met, and she was determined to change his mind about her.

Elina and Louis danced nonstop for an hour. Elina was trying to keep up with him as he continued their lesson, but she was growing tired. Louis didn't seem fazed at all, though. _Giles was right; Louis is a good dancer. I can hardly keep up with him._ Elina thought as she continued to look down at her feet, trying her hardest to not step on him. It was bad enough that she couldn't dance, but she was afraid that if she stepped on him, he'd be angry at her forever.

"Elina, "she heard him say. Suddenly, his finger was under her chin, and he made her look up, "you need to keep your eyes leveled with your partner. Do not ever look down at your feet; everyone will know then that you're nervous. "his sudden bold move shocked Elina, but she forced herself to nod, "Okay, noted. "

After another twirl, Louis stopped, "Let's take a break, "he said. Elina silently thanked him, and she sat down on one of the chairs that had been pulled out. Louis sat down on another. It was only a moment later before the doors to the ballroom were thrown open and a young boy came flying in. He stopped in front of Louis, "My lord…you're needed in your study, "he said quickly. Louis nodded and stood. He turned to Elina, "My apologies. We'll have to cut our lesson short, please express to Giles that I am urgently needed. "

Elina nodded, standing as well, "Yes, of course, "she curtsied as he bowed. Without another word, he had turned on his heel and marched out swiftly. As he did so, Robert entered the ballroom. Elina sat down in a huff as he approached, "I heard you'd be in here, "he said.

Elina chuckled, "Oh, yes, after an excruciating hour of dancing. Honestly, I'm so terrible at this. Louis must be secretly laughing at me behind my back. "Robert chuckled, "I'd be surprised if anything made him laugh, "he chuckled along with Elina, who leaned over to fix her shoe.

Giles then came in. Robert stood, "Well, I'll see you later Elina. It looks like Giles needs to speak with you. "Elina looked up to see Giles's face; he did have a serious expression. Elina nodded and smiled at Robert, and he left. Giles took his place on the chair next to Elina, "Elina, there is something I must discuss with you. "

"Yes? "she leaned back and winced as her feet moved slightly.

"Well, there is a matter I need to discuss with your now. I was hoping to wait for this another day or two, but today's the best day, "Giles stood up tall and straight, like a true member of the nobility, "We have to talk about the process of choosing a prince consort. "

Elina inwardly groaned; she had totally forgotten about that part, "I know what I have to do, Giles, "Elina replied, "I have to pick a suitor to marry, that's all a prince consort really is. We'll get married, and produce an heir or two. "Giles nodded, "Yes, but you can't just choose anyone. There is only a selected few you many choose from. "

"And who would they be? "Elina sat up straighter, wanting to hear Giles correctly, "Well, as of now, your ideal suitors would be Alyn, Leo, Robert…and Louis. Again, ideally, "Elina cringed at Louis's name, but nodded, "Why them? "she then asked. There had to be a reason for Giles to have selected her suitors already.

"Because they are the most eligible. Alyn is a high ranked guard, and will prove to be a natural born leader. Leo is very smart, and knows a lot about Wysteria and her past and government. Robert is also an intellect, and can bring balance. And Louis is already a gifted leader; as the duke of a duchy, he knows how to run a large estate flawlessly, "Giles explained, "you could also potentially choose Nico, if you wanted to. He also has fine attributes and talents that could aid you in ruling Wysteria. "

Elina nodded, "Thank you for telling me, "she said. Giles nodded and stood to leave. Elina decided to stay a moment longer, to admire the beauty. She had almost forgotten about the biggest, and most important, part of being the Princess Elect; choosing a husband. The thought of having to choose a husband frightened her; she was barely eighteen herself. Normally, only the nobility married at younger ages, mainly because they could afford to. Elina's own parents had been well into their twenties before they had her.

But, what was scarier was that she was going to have to pick someone that she most likely would not even know enough of to figure out if she loved him. Elina might've not lived in a fairy tale for the majority of her life, but she still believed in marrying for love, not just power or money or a social status. Elina made up her mind; if she could not fall in love with any of the selected suitors, then she wasn't going to marry.

* * *

 **xoxo, Queen**


	4. Flirting and Falling

The next day, Elina was sitting out in the garden. It was another sunny, beautiful day. The flowers were in full bloom, and the sun was high in the sky; not a single cloud in sight. There were birds flying to and from birdbaths, and butterflies danced with a soft breeze that blew through Elina's hair. She sat on a comfortable chair, and beside her was a medium sized round table that was laid out with food; sandwiches, soups, salads, bread, and fruit. She took a sip from her water and turned to look at whom she was sitting with, who was digging into his plate of sandwiches and watermelon.

Leo had asked her if she'd like to accompany him on a lunch in the garden, and Elina could not refuse his offer. Before she'd arrived, Giles had the servants set out a table and chairs, along with several waiters to help with food, beverages, and shade. Elina was still getting used to eating such large amounts of food, and was now known to share her food with the servants that waited her.

Carefully, she piled a few sandwiches on a platter. Leo watched her carefully as she stood, platter in hand, and went around to every waiter in sight and offered them one. Every single server thanked her and bowed, and when they called her 'Your Highness', she only smiled and said, "Please, call me Elina. "even though she knew that they would have to resume calling her by such formal addresses in front of people like Giles and guests.

Leo continued to watch her intently as she resumed her spot on her chair. Finally, Elina noticed him looking at her, "Leo? Why are you staring at me? "she asked, arching up a brow. Leo chuckled, "In all my years here at the palace, I've never seen a member of royalty—or nobility—offer their food to their servants. "his voice was laced with admiration for Elina, and she blushed.

"Well, it's not fair to just let all this food go to waste. I won't finish it all myself, and neither will you, "she shrugged. Now it was Leo's turned to arch a brow, "Think so? "he flashed her a playful grin before stuffing three more sandwiches into his mouth. Elina burst into a fit of giggles at his attempt to chew and swallow.

Elina's eyes wandered to look into Leo's eyes. Her mind flashed back to when she had realized that he had the same eyes as Alyn, "Leo, might I ask you something? Something personal? "Leo swallowed and nodded, "Yeah, anything, "he replied smoothly. Elina squirmed in her seat slightly.

"Are…are you by any chance…related to Alyn? "as soon as she'd asked, Leo's playful smirk vanished. His normally curious eyes grew dark, and he seemed to sneer at the question. Elina was about to open her mouth to tell him to forget about the question, but he spoke first.

"Yes, I am, "he said coolly, leaning back in his seat, "In fact, we're brothers. "

Elina's eyes went wide, "Really? Why didn't you both tell me this before? "then, she remembered her conversation with Alyn the day before, about his mother. _Could they be blaming each other for the death of their mother?_ Elina pondered the possibility as Leo began to answer her question.

"Well, Alyn doesn't really like to…associate himself with me much anymore, "he said it in an angered way, as if he was upset about it. Elina gulped, unsure about what to say next. _I really shouldn't be asking him anything too personal…he probably doesn't want to talk about it._

As if he'd read her mind, Leo's expression changed back into his usual, playful smirk, "What about you? Do you have any siblings? "he prodded. Elina smiled, glad that the mood was changing back, even though it wasn't any better for herself, "Well, I did, "she said, looking away to watch a few butterflies pass by overhead, "but it was a long time ago. "

Leo sensed the sadness that was emanating from Elina, and he decided to quickly change the subject, "How has life been at the palace for you? "he then asked. Elina turned back to him and smiled, "Well, it has been wonderful. Everyone's very nice…, "she trailed off, and Leo gave her an apologetic grin, "Let me guess: Louis is treating you like the common rebel, "he didn't need Elina's confirmation, he could see it in her eyes. She nodded, "Yes, he treats me so coldly. But apparently, he treats everyone that way. "

Leo shrugged, "Louis is harsh. He was brought up that way, I guess. I don't know much about him, he's pretty much a loner. He doesn't talk to anyone else other than Giles. "

Elina nodded. She really didn't want to talk about him anymore, "Well, we should head inside soon. I'm dying in this dress, "she pulled at the neckline of her dress, which was at her collarbones. Leo smiled, "Of course, allow me, "he stood up and went to Elina's side and offered his arm. Elina looped her hand around it and stood, shaking her light green dress out.

Leo then escorted Elina inside, while the servants began cleaning up the garden once more. They entered the palace and began walking towards the foyer area. Elina sighed at the magnificent decorations and architecture, "I had never been in the palace before now, "she stated absently as they began climbing the stairs. Leo chuckled, "It is pretty great. "he breathed.

Elina suddenly felt her foot grab onto her dress, and she began to tip to the side, "Whoa there, "Leo laughed softly as she leaned into him. Elina blushed slightly, as she was dangerously close to him, her face buried in his chest. Leo helped her regain her stance.

Elina looked up at him into his eyes, "Thank you, "she said, trying to remove the shakiness from her voice. Leo smiled at her softly as she regained her composure, "You look so different when you blush, "Leo teased. Elina only grew redder. She leaned out and jabbed him softly with her elbow, "Ha-ha, very funny, "she rolled her eyes at him.

They continued up the flight of stairs side by side. Suddenly, they heard a noise coming from in front of them, "Are there people running? "Elina asked. Leo grabbed her arm protectively, "I don't know, "he admitted, but his eyes narrowed. Elina turned around. They were about half way up the stairs, and it would be a long descent if they decided to turn around.

She turned back around spotted the culprits. It was a hoard of maids and servants…and they were running right for them. Elina could see Nico's head bobbing in the crowd, "Nico! "she called out, reaching a hand out. Nico weaved his way through and met up with Elina and Leo as quickly as he could before the crowd could near them.

"Elina! Something's happened! "he said in a panic, "What happened? "Elina asked, steadying him, "S-something happened in one of the servant's quarters! Everyone's saying that a gas was—, "but before he could finish, the hoard of servants reached them.

"Head back down! "Leo ordered, turning around to run down the stairs. Elina felt him pull her along, but she couldn't tell if it even was him anymore. The people around her looked so scared, as if they were running from someone trying to kill them all. Suddenly, Elina felt someone push her.

"Ahhh! "Elina screamed as she fell face first down the stairs. She threw her arms out to protect herself as she landed on them, and then she tumbled down on her back. Elina felt her world spin as feet raced by her, barely missing her body as she fell down the stairs. But no one kicked her, or hit her.

"Elina! "she could hear someone calling her name, and she reached out to grab anything as her body hurtled down. She closed her eyes, preparing for the crash of her head onto the foyer floor.

Instead, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her.

Suddenly, the commotion just stopped. The room was growing quiet, except for the sound of people struggling to breathe. Elina opened her eyes slowly, and her vision instantly became hazy. She could see light, and figures standing over her. A head poked out from the corner of her eye, and she turned her attention towards it.

"Elina? "she heard him say her name again. Elina struggled to regain her vision, but she caught a glance at his blonde hair.

"L-Louis? "she whispered.

Louis had caught Elina just before she fell onto her head at the bottom of the stairs. Elina struggled to sit up, "Wait, we need to get you looked at, "she heard Louis say. After a few moments, Elina's vision began clearing up, and she was able to clearly see Louis above her. Leo was also there, along with Nico. She forced herself to look back at the stairs, and saw Giles quickly walking down them, his face twisted with worry and confusion.

"What happened? "Giles asked. A maid came out from the side, "In our room! There was this strange gas, it was making us all sick! Someone shouted to run, and we ran! "she sounded petrified. The crowd murmured in agreement, "We thought it was deadly, Delia began throwing up! "

Elina forced herself to sit up. She began to take in her surroundings, and realized that she was laying in Louis's lap. She looked up at him as she struggled to sit up, and could see in his eyes that he was perplexed. Nico knelt beside her, "Elina, you need to wait, "he tried, but Elina shook her head, "No…there's…something wrong…, "she felt Louis grab her by her shoulders, "Elina, wait, "he failed at getting her to hold still.

Against everyone's wishes, Elina began to stand slowly. What they didn't know was that she was checking for broken bones. When she sensed none, she stood up fully, but she winced at a few new bruises that were forming on her skin. She looked at Giles and saw his widened eyes.

She turned to her left and Alyn entered the room, guards around him. He saw Elina's battered state and raced over, "What happened?! "he demanded, looking at everyone. Giles rubbed his chin, "It appears there was an attempt at frightening our staff, "he noted.

"Attempt? "Elina scoffed. She pointed to the crowd, "Look at them, they're terrified! "she turned to Alyn, "They said someone released a gas into their room, and they were ordered to run. "she saw Alyn's expression turn into worriment. He turned to the crowd, "Can anyone lead me to the area where it was released? "he asked them.

The maid who had spoken before raised her hand, "I can, sir, "she said. Hobbling next to her was a younger girl, "But Delia, she's sick. The gas made her sick, Captain Alyn. "Alyn studied her for a moment, before pointing to a pair of boys, "You two, take this girl to the royal doctor. All of you, follow them! "he said. There was a collective answer of 'yes sir' before the two boys took Delia by the shoulders and began leading her away, the others following. Alyn looked at Elina and felt his fists tighten. He approached her, "Are you alright? "he asked.

Elina nodded, "Yes, but go with her. Find out what happened, "she ordered. Alyn reluctantly nodded and turned away, following the woman with a few guards up the stairs.

Leo approached Elina, "Elina, how did you fall? You were right next to me, we would've made it. "Elina shook her head, "No, I-I was running and I felt someone…push me, "she rubbed her neck, "I don't know if it was an accident or not, but someone pushed me down and I fell. It all happened so fast, I couldn't get back up. "

Suddenly, Giles's expression changed. She turned to look at Louis, and he had a similar expression on his face, "What? "she asked.

Giles shook his head, "Nico, escort Elina back to her room. She'll need time to rest. "

"No, I want to help, "Elina tried to argue, but she took one step and she almost fell forward. Louis caught her, "Please, Elina, "she heard him whisper, "go with Nico. We can take care of this. "

Elina looked at the faces of Leo and Giles, who all were pleading with her to go. Reluctantly, Elina allowed Nico to steer her away. It took a little longer than usual, but they finally made it to her room. Nico helped her lie down on her bed, "Just rest, everything will be fine Elina, "he said sweetly, but even Elina could see the grimness in his eyes.

However, Elina was sore and tired, so she simply nodded. As soon as she felt her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep.

* * *

Elina awoke with a start. She sat up and winced in pain, and turned to look around her.

It was now dark in her room. Moonlight shown in from her windows. Elina groaned, "How long have I been asleep? "she asked herself softly. Slowly, she forced herself to stand up and walk to her vanity, where she looked at herself in the mirror. Elina gasped.

She had a few bruises on her arms, but they were a deep purple and look hideous. Her face was relatively unscarred, except for one bruise that was right at her hairline. Elina began undoing her dress and forced it off of her, along with the petticoat and socks. She gapped at her body.

She had bruises almost everywhere, especially on her legs from trying to stop herself from falling. Elina rushed into her bathroom and looked at herself in the full-length mirror that was in there, "I look like I got beat up, "she said to herself.

Elina went over to the sink and washed her face, trying to wake herself up. She quickly brushed her teeth and ran a comb through her tangled hair. When she looked at herself in the mirror again, she looked slightly less dead than before. Elina groaned as she went to her wardrobe to find something to wear. She needed to see someone.

After almost twenty minutes of searching for something without a corset, Elina was stuck with a nightdress. Not wanting to look strange running around in a nightdress, Elina slipped a thin robe over herself and put on a pair of comfortable shoes. Then, she went to her door and opened it.

Elina peered outside. She could see a guard just opposite of her door, but he had his head down slightly, as if he was asleep. Elina almost felt bad for him, but then she began wondering. _Why is there a guard outside my door? There never was one before, not that I can remember._

Shrugging, Elina slipped out of her room and closed the door softly. She watched the guard as she began tiptoeing away. As soon as she was sure he was out of earshot, Elina began almost running down the hall.

She honestly had no idea where she was going. She'd never really explored the palace, there was hardly ever any time. Elina had only been to the foyer, garden, lunch and breakfast rooms, the library, the ballroom, and Leo's study. There were probably hundreds of other rooms, and hundreds of possibilities. _Maybe I should've thought about this more before leaving my room…_

Elina became lost in her thoughts as she rounded a corner and smacked right into someone.

She let out a yelp as she was thrown back, but covered her hand with her mouth. The other person let out an equally dissatisfied sound. Elina regained her stance and looked at whom she'd run into to apologize, "I am so sorry…, "she began, but realized that she'd actually run into the person she was looking for.

Louis was already standing up straight by the time Elina had begun apologizing, "Elina, what are you doing out of your room? "he asked, although he didn't look very surprised. Elina crossed her arms behind her back, "Oh, well, I was looking for you, actually, "she said.

Now, Louis quirked up a brow slightly, "Really? "he asked. Elina nodded, "Yes, I wanted to come thank you for catching me today. "Elina realized how stupid she was sounding the more she spoke. Louis's expression returned to normal, but Elina could've sworn she saw his lip curl up faintly, "Well, you're welcome, Your Highness, "Louis bowed curtly, but Elina stopped him.

"Please, it's just Elina, "she said. Louis nodded, "Very well, Elina. "he studied her for a moment, "Why didn't you leave? "he then asked. Elina gave him a confused look, "What do you mean? "

"The other day in the garden. I told you to leave, why didn't you? "he asked again. Elina looked straight at him, "I wasn't finished looking for my flower, "she replied, "I needed to find it for Reina. "

"Your student, "Elina nodded, "Yes. "

Louis sighed, "You should've left when you had the chance, "he said. Elina furrowed her brow and put her hands on her hips, "And what is that supposed to mean? "she demanded. Now, Louis furrowed his brow slightly as well, "You know exactly what I mean, "he replied, his voice slightly rising. Elina could tell that he was getting angry, but she didn't care.

"Look, I know you don't like me, "Elina began, continuing her hard glare, "but that doesn't mean you have to treat me like a 'commoner'. "she saw Louis's face turn rigid, "You don't have to pretend that you like me, "she went on, trying to remain calm, "but really, I haven't done anything to you at all. And if I did, I am sorry. "Louis didn't say anything, but she could tell he wanted to.

"You can be an 'ice sculpture' all you want, "she used air quotes to emphasize the slight sarcasm she was using, "but you still have to treat people like they're people. I may not be from a high class like you, but I'm still a person, "as soon as she said that, Elina saw his eyes flicker…to sadness. It was just for a moment, but in that moment, Elina saw sadness in Louis's crystal clear blue eyes.

Instantly, Elina dropped her arms and felt bad. _Did I say something to upset him?_ She asked herself. But Louis didn't say anything to her.

"I-I'm sorry, Louis, "she said slowly, hoping that she hadn't made him too upset. In the moonlight, she could see his eyes flicker back into their usual cold stare, "You haven't said anything to upset me, "Louis replied, "you're right—I was being unfair. I wasn't treating you as how I should've, especially since you are our Princess Elect, "Louis bowed again.

Elina sighed, but nodded, "We got off on the wrong foot I think, "she said, trying to lighten the mood slightly, although she knew that with Louis, nothing would ever be 'light'. Still, Elina pushed on. Once Louis had straightened, Elina stuck out her hand, "Hello, I'm Elina Aldaine. "she said, smiling at him.

Elina couldn't tell what was in Louis's eyes, but she saw a hint of amusement in them. Louis took her hand into his, "Hello, Elina, I'm Duke Louis Howard, "he said, going along with her charade. He kissed her hand lightly, and pulled away. Elina smiled at him, even though he didn't really smile back. However, she saw his lips curl up faintly, and she took that for a smile.

"Allow me to escort you back to your room, "Louis said. Elina then remembered the guard, "Why is there a guard outside my room? "she then asked. Louis's eyes suddenly narrowed, "Oh, so Alyn did put one outside your room, "he said through gritted teeth, "but I guess he wasn't too good at his job. "

"Louis? "Elina needed to know. Louis held out his arm and Elina looped her hand around it, and they began walking together, "It's for your protection, "he said.

"My…protection? "she arched a brow. Louis only nodded, but he didn't look at her. Elina knew she was going to have some questions for Giles in the morning.

* * *

 **xoxo, Queen**


	5. Lilac

**After a long hiatus: chapter 5**

* * *

First thing the next morning, Elina was marching down to the breakfast room to speak to Giles. She didn't care how long she had to demand from him, she was going to get more information about what had happened the day before, and why there was gas let loose in the palace.

She threw the doors to the breakfast room open. Inside, Giles, Alyn, Leo, and Robert sat together, eating eggs and ham. Leo had a book open and in his hand, his glasses on the brim of his nose. Robert was having a conversation with Alyn, and the two were really getting into it before Elina barged in. Giles was sifting through paperwork and letters.

Elina marched up to the four, but her attention was on Giles, "Giles, you have to tell me what happened yesterday, "she said, her voice stern and demanding. Alyn and Robert exchanged glances, while Leo seemed to twitch. Giles sighed and put down the letter he'd been reading, "Very well, if you insist, "he said slowly.

"What?! "Leo and Alyn said together. Giles gave them both a stern look, "Elina is our Princess Elect. Therefore, she has the right to know about such a situation and what we believe has happened. "Alyn and Leo remained silent after his explanation, and Giles returned to looking at Elina, who stood in front of him with her hands crossed over her chest.

"We believe this was an attempt…on your life, "Giles said. Elina gasped, her eyes widening and her jaw going slack. All four men looked vexed.

"W-why do you think this? "Elina asked. Giles stood and walked over to her to stand in front of her, "Alyn followed the maid to the servants' quarters, well, the one where she claimed the gas originated from. Alyn indeed found traces of the gas, but we were able to identify it as a non-lethal gas, meaning that if inhaled, it would not kill you. "

"B-but she said that one of the maids who inhaled it got really sick, "Elina pointed out. Giles nodded, "Yes, well that was just a side effect. Alyn and I also experienced sickness after being exposed to it, but once the room was cleared of the gas, everyone was fine. We even had doctors check on everyone exposed to the gas after the room was cleared and this morning, and there have been no symptoms other than the sickness we felt at the moment. "

"…well why do you think it was an attempt on my life? "Elina asked, "I never went near the gas, and if it was non-lethal, then it wouldn't kill me. "

"Well, we also investigated into what the maid claimed, "Leo said, standing as well, "she said that after the gas was released, someone shouted for them to run. Naturally, it caused a panic, and everyone ran to the exit…which happens to be the main entrance as well, the only exit large enough for all those people fit through at the same time, "Leo sighed, "it's also where we were, and after you said you were pushed…, "

"It seemed too planned, "Alyn finished from his seat. He wiped his mouth, "even though all those people were running down the stairs, together, no one else fell but you. We asked everyone if they had felt someone pushing them, but everyone else claimed that no one had pushed them forward or tried to run them over; they all just ran, "he fixed his gaze on Elina, "don't you think that if you had fallen, other people would've fallen as well? "

Elina felt like she was about to faint. This new information was incredibly startling. _Why would someone want to kill me?_

"If Louis hadn't caught you, you would've been seriously hurt, "Giles added, "the way you landed, you were going to land on your head. And those stairs aren't made of anything soft; they're made of hard marble. One hit from a fall like that and you could easily become unconscious…or worse. "Giles's face became unsteady. However, after noticing that Elina looked distressed, he smiled at her.

"We are going to find out who is responsible, "he assured her, "for now, you must focus on the upcoming party. No one else but us know about this situation, and we plan to keep it that way until we can figure out why this happened. "

Elina scoffed, "I need some air, "she said.

Alyn approached her, "Allow me to take you out on a horseback ride, then, "he said, "the fresh air will do you good. "Elina turned to Giles, who nodded, "Just don't spend forever out there, Elina. You still have a few lessons. "

Elina turned to Alyn and smiled, "I'd love to, after I eat breakfast, of course. "

Elina met Alyn at the stables, where he waited patiently. Nico escorted her, and once she was there, he left the two alone. Elina wore a riding outfit specifically for this, as Nico had told her that, as a princess, she has several different clothes for different events. Instead of soft shoes, she wore a pair of hard, heeled leather boots that laced up. Her dress was slightly thicker, the neckline reached her collarbones, and she had long sleeves and black gloves. Her dress was yellow, like a sunflower.

Alyn saw her approach and smiled, "Well, good day, Elina, "he said. Elina curtsied, and Alyn took her hand into his and kissed it, "It's a fine day for riding, Alyn, "Elina stated, looking at the sky. Alyn nodded, "As I'd hoped. "he winked at Elina.

Alyn led her around the stables, where two horses stood waiting. One was a soft brown with a short mane, the other was white with a long mane. Alyn led Elina to the white horse, "This one's for you. Her name's Penny, "he smiled at her as Elina began petting the horse, "Hello Penny, "Elina whispered. The horse whinnied as Elina giggled.

Alyn helped Elina mount the horse, which was slightly difficult for Elina, as her bulky dress did not provide a lot of movement. Alyn instructed her to sit with both legs on one side, and Elina complied, although it was a very uncomfortable position.

Alyn mounted the other horse, "Alright, where do you want to go? "he asked.

"The town, "Elina said without missing a beat. Alyn chuckled; he knew that she most likely missed the town a lot. He nodded, and kicked his horse softly to move forward. As soon as his horse began moving, hers followed suit. They made their way through the palace's courtyard, and towards the front gates. Guards were posted, and as soon as they saw the two coming, they opened the gates. Alyn and Elina passed through, and as soon as they had, the gates closed again.

The two trotted into the town square, where people grew silent. Elina felt extremely awkward as the townspeople she grew up with gawked at her as she passed through. Elina could hear them whispering in the crowd.

"Is that Elina? "

"Isn't she the new Princess Elect? "

"Is that her prince consort? "

The stares were becoming too much for Elina, but Alyn was trying to lift her spirits, "Well, well, seems that they think that I'm your prince consort, "he teased. Elina laughed, "Oh really? "she giggled as Alyn flashed his dashing grin at the townspeople. A few girls swooned. Elina rolled her eyes, "Show off, "she muttered under her breath.

The two continued to trot through the town. Alyn had the two veer off to the left, and they took another path that led outside of the town's borders, into the fields. As they passed by people, Elina waved at a few, and to her relief, they waved back, "Nothing like seeing your future Queen to lift some spirits, "Alyn mused as they passed by people.

They made it past the town. As soon as they did, Elina had her horse pick up its pace, "Whoa there, let's not get too excited now, "Ayn warned, but Elina didn't hear him. Instead, she swung one of her legs over the horse, allowing herself to adjust as well until she was sitting just like Alyn. Before Alyn could protest, Elina kicked her horse in its side, and it took off. Alyn rolled his eyes and grinned mischievously before following her.

Elina had only ever ridden a horse once before, but she remembered how freeing it felt. Atop a horse, she was faster, taller, and she could see more of the world. The hot air whipped at her face as she laughed. She steered the horse, making it turn this way and that. Even Alyn struggled to keep up with her.

"Elina, wait! "she heard him call out. Not wanting to make him angry, Elina slowed down to a trot. Alyn caught up to her, "Well, I wasn't expecting you to take off like that! "he exclaimed. Elina laughed as they continued on, "Well, I haven't ridden a horse in years; I almost forgot what it felt like. "

"And what does it feel like? "Alyn prodded. He stared into Elina's purple eyes, which gleamed with a fire that he'd never seen in someone before, "It feels so freeing, "she said, leaning her head back to look up at the blue sky, "I can forget almost anything…, "

Alyn saw her eyes darken, and he knew she was thinking about the incident the day before. Alyn reached out to grab her hand, "I'm sorry about yesterday, "he said, "I should have been there, I failed as your knight. "

"No, Alyn, "Elina squeezed his hand, "it wasn't your fault. Not even Giles knew about it. "

Alyn smiled as she grinned back at him. Then, she released his hand, and resumed holding onto the reigns. Alyn gave her a sly smile, "I bet I can race you, "he said. Elina couldn't resist.

"You're on. "

* * *

Elina walked with Nico at her side towards the ballroom.

After she and Alyn raced (and she was declared the winner) they returned to the palace so Elina could bathe and change before her lesson. Leo had informed her that they would resume their lessons the next day, which left her with Louis's dancing lessons.

Elina had changed from her riding attire to a soft blue dress with a sweetheart neckline and flat shoes. She had managed to detangle her long hair and pulled it back into a bun. Nico opened the door for her to the ballroom.

Once inside, Elina spotted Louis without fail. He was, after all, the only person in the room. Nico bowed to Elina, who nodded her head, and he left, closing the doors behind Elina as she walked in. She walked with determination; today, she was not going to mess up.

Louis heard her walk in and turned around. As she approached, he bowed, "Good afternoon, Elina, "he said, his voice and expression still rock hard. Elina ignored this and smiled anyways, "Good afternoon, Louis. What are we learning today? "

"We are going to continue with the waltz, "Louis replied, "that will most likely be a dance you will need to know for the party. It's a basic dance that occurs at almost every party. "Elina walked over to stand in front of him, "Now, I am certain that you'll only need to dance at least once; that way you can make an impression on the nobility without overdoing it. "

Elina nodded, "Right, "she said. The two got into position, and began dancing.

"Now, when you're dancing, "Louis went on, "it's important that you never stray away from looking at your partner. Failing to keep your focus on your partner for the majority of the time could offend him. "Elina nodded, "Okay, "

The two continued to dance with each other. Elina was getting slightly better, but she still managed to step on Louis at least twice in under five minutes. Louis didn't seem to mind her horrible dancing capabilities, though. However, the newly formed bruises on her body made dancing difficult. To ignore this, Elina twirled and rejoined Louis is a close dancing position.

Elina found herself becoming awkward. She normally felt awkward around all the men, even Nico, because they were all so much taller than she, and they all were graceful in their own right. Giles was graceful in management, Nico in cleaning, Robert in painting, Alyn in fighting, Leo in teaching, and Louis in dancing. Elina wasn't graceful in anything, not even sleeping.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Louis and Elina stopped, and Louis excused himself to check the door.

Elina followed not too far behind, curious as to who was there. She watched Louis open the door. Then, she saw his body language completely change; he was suddenly hostile, and he seemed angry. Louis didn't even turn around to look at Elina before he slipped out of the room, but he didn't shut the door all the way. Curious, Elina inched closer until she could make out conversation.

"…I thought the Duke of Ice was already back home in his duchy, "she heard a voice tease. She frowned. _Who on earth could that be?_ She wondered. The voice was rough and had a twang to it; she did not recognize it as anyone she'd already met.

"…Sid, I am in no mood for games, "she heard Louis's voice say icily. _Sid. I haven't met this Sid yet. Does he work here at the palace, too? Why does Louis sound so angry at him? Do they not like each other like Leo and Alyn?_

A million questions raced through her mind as the door opened, "Leave, Sid, "she heard Louis say. Elina backed up from her position slightly, so it didn't appear that she'd been eavesdropping. Louis, however, saw her, and he sighed, "My apologies, Elina, "he said, bowing curtly. Elina looked into his eyes and could see the rage in them; he was mad.

Elina looked behind him in time to catch a glance at whom Louis had been arguing with. He was tall, like Louis, but had thick black hair that was tinted blue, and mischievous dark blue eyes. He gave Elina a sly smirk before turning around and walking away. His smile sent a chill down Elina's spine.

"Who was that? "she asked Louis as he closed the door. Louis said, "Why do you have a question for everything? "he asked. Elina put her hands on her hips, "Because you were arguing with him, and I've never seen you argue with anyone before. "she replied simply, "Who was he, Louis? Does he work here, too? "

Louis sighed, walking towards Elina, "I suppose you could say that. That was Sid, or Lloyd Grandier. He works for Giles as an informant, "the explanation was brief, but Elina knew that was probably the most she would get out of him, so she nodded, "Okay, but you two don't like each other, "she then commented.

Louis's jaw tightened, "We've known each other since we were children…but that doesn't mean we like each other. "he said icily. Elina nodded, sensing his resentment towards the subject. She walked back over to where they'd been dancing, "Are we going to finish our lesson? "she then asked, turning to look at Louis. Louis nodded.

Elina walked with Nico through the garden. She had just finished her dinner, and was heading back to her room for the night. After her dancing lesson with Louis, Elina was extremely sore; the bruises on her body made it difficult to move. However, she forced herself to appear fine, as she didn't want Louis to ask her any questions. The bruise on her forehead had grown faint throughout the day, and she was thankful for that.

As she continued through the garden with Nico, Elina turned her head to admire the flowers. There was no breeze tonight, so the flowers didn't sway back and forth. Instead, they stood stalk still, and the water falling from the fountain was the only noise.

Nico was trying to hurry Elina along. Giles had instructed him to lead Elina straight to her room after dinner, even though she'd requested a side detour into the garden. Nico could not tell her no, and now here they were.

Suddenly, Elina stopped. Nico turned around, "What is it, Elina? "he asked. Elina cocked her head to the side, as if she was listening to something, "Do you hear that? "she asked him. Nico shook his head, "Hear what? "he looked towards the garden, slightly nervous at Elina's sudden statement.

Elina began walking towards the center of the garden, "Elina! "Nico whispered frantically, but Elina didn't stop, "Elina, we really must be getting to your room now! "he glanced around nervously, "If Giles catches us I'll be in big trouble! "

"Just a moment, Nico, "Elina replied absently. She hadn't meant to worry Nico, but she had to find the source of the strange noise. To her, it sounded like something was whimpering. It was soft and it wavered slightly, but Elina was sure she'd heard it.

As she neared the fountain, the whimpering grew louder. Elina dropped to her knees, ignoring Nico's protests on her getting her dress dirty, and began looking underneath the benches situated by the fountains. Something caught her eye, and she grinned, "I found it! "she exclaimed, reaching out to grab the source of the noise.

Elina pulled out a small dog with short cropped black hair. The dog had medium sized ears, and piercing brown eyes. Elina was able to hold the dog by placing it on her arm and holding it in place, but the dog didn't try to force itself out of Elina's grasp. Instead, it whimpered and nuzzled closer to Elina.

"Oh, it's so cute! "Elina cooed, petting the dog. The dog 's eyes closed as she scratched its ears, "Oh, it must be a puppy still, "she said. Nico approached her, "Whoa, Elina, where did you get that? "he looked even more worried, "I found her under here, "Elina pointed to the bench, "poor thing must be starving, too, "she checked the dog for a collar, or something to symbolize its ownership, but there was none.

"How did a dog get in here? "Nico wondered aloud, glancing around, "Oh Nico, can I keep it? "Elina asked, hugging the dog closer.

Nico whirled around to look at her, "Um, I don't know if Giles would want a dog inside the palace, Elina, "Nico began, but Elina gave him the best pleading look she could. She knew it was working as Nico's hardened expression softened.

After a moment, Nico groaned inwardly, "Okay, Elina, I guess you could keep it. But you can't let Giles know, "

Elina nodded, "I won't! "she promised, beaming, "Could you help me care for it, Nico? Just every once in a while bring food to my room. Maybe we could set up a little area for her to use the restroom until I can take her outside…, "she gave Nico another pleading look.

Nico sighed, "Very well, Elina, I suppose I could…, "

Elina smiled brightly and hugged Nico, still holding onto the dog, "Thank you so much, "she whispered. Nico felt his face heating up, and he hugged her back briefly, smiling. She pulled away and began inspecting the dog, "I believe it is a girl, "she added.

"What are you going to name her? "Nico asked. Elina thought for a moment, looking around at the flowers. The first flower she spotted brought a smile to her face, "Lilac, "she stated proudly. Lilac leaned up and licked Elina's face, as if to thank her.

Unbeknownst to the two, a figure lurked in the shadows, cloaked in black. The figure watched Elina and Nico scurry away back into the palace. It smirked, and it was gone.


End file.
